Computer Repair And Magnetic Screwdrivers

For a long while, I would never use a magnetic screwdriver when working on a computer. I had an experience where a motherboard was working prior to the ‘repair’ and not working after. I had taken the usual precautions so I did not believe it was due to static, rather the magnetic screwdriver I was using. Since then I haven’t used one.

After doing some searching on the Internet regarding this subject, it appears my case was isolated to say the least. From what I can tell, they are used by just about everyone with no negative effects. I can certainly see why because dealing with tiny screws is difficult without one.

I imagine most of our readers use a magnetic screwdriver when working on computers. If you do, have you ever experienced a failure you would attribute to the use of one?

I stand corrected. I had been told that, by someone whose advice I usually respect, but it turns out after some research that this is not the case. Flash drives are immune from damage by magnetic fields.

I have been repairing electronics for over 30 years, from televisions to vcrs and now, finally desktop and laptop computers. I carry a powerful magnet gleaned from a defunct hard drive in my toolkit to remagnatize my screwdrivers (six swipes over the magnet in the same direction does nicely). I have never had an issue resulting from magnetized screwdrivers. In fact, many of the repairs I have done would have been down right impossible without them. I routinely disassemble and reassemble laptops using these. No problem.

Yesterday I replaced the tube in a laptop display, this job would have been impossible without a good set of magnetized screwdrivers. The screws were minute and the screholes hard to see. When I removed the screws there was no danger of loss as they stayed on the driver. Reassembly was only possible because I was able to mount the screw on the driver for insertion.

To my thinking it is far more dangerous to use cheap or wrong sized screwdrivers when doing a repair. There is a far greater danger of a bad driver slipping off the screw and damaging the work.

As Floyd said, magnets are death on floppies, but that is hardly an issue anymore. Most computers don’t even have floppy drives and cds and dvds are not affected.

I use one all the time too. I would think that the one I use doesn’t have a strong pull so it is safe, hell sometimes the screw falls off into the case anyway. I am careful to only touch the spots where screws go. It is hard to build a computer without one.

Ever take appart a HD? If those monster magnates that are used in them don’t kill everything, then a little comon sense with a screwdriver should be all that’s needed. I have an aluminum coin that I drop between a HD magnate and slows down to a crawl as it passes through due to the EM field generated. In fact these magnates are so strong that ones fingers can be pinched if not carefull.

Back in the day when I used to take appart and clean my Apple 2C Computer I used magnetic screwdrivers. You just made shure you didn’t have any diskettes around or it would shurely go down the crapper. These days I still use magnetic screwdrivers to do my repairs. They just make the job easier.

When Im working inside a PC I always take off my wedding ring After all capacitors are devices that hold charges and gold is one of the best conductors . Taking off your wedding ring at other times though could lead to a severe static discharge from your wife .

I have been using a magnetic screwdriver in my lab to repair PCs and fixed all other parts. I have not suffer much form that to the best of my knowledge. But since I read about the effect of magnets on PC componets I have limit the use on motherboards, expansion cards, etc, But not stop usage entirely since working with tiny srews without magnet screwdrivers is a hell.

What exactly is the problem? Does it effect the processor? motherboard chip? RAM? or where?

I don’t think they are so susceptible to magnetic as long as the power is OFF. If the power is ON then you might get some Electrical Field or flux nearby, and since there are million on wiring on the motherboard the flux might amplitude each other hence creating greater flux. CMIIW.

I have equally used magnetic screwdrivers for the last 6 years I have been building computers. I have had zero problems with EMI relative to screwdrivers. In fact, as Jason asserted, working with tiny screws will be very problematic without the use of magnetic screwdriver. I believe, however, failure to properly ground oneself or discharge EMI before working on a computer, combined with the magnetic screwdriver significantly contributes to damaging a motherboard. If grounding is achieve, magnetic screwdrivers are relatively insignificant in contributing to systemboard damage. I know this contradicts what we learned in A+, Network+, etc. Those theories still remain true. However, the reality on the ground is different.